Hey guys, I'm interested in getting one of Trumpy's 1/700 Kievs and I'm wondering how great of a kit it is. From the builds in the gallery it looks like a good kit but no one comments on its accuracy or ease of build. Google doesn't turn up anything either. What do you guys think of it? What is the difference between the Kiev and Minsk boxings?

One thing about the Trumpeter kit for Kiev/Minsk (same kit-different box art) that bugs me is that some of the weapons (namely the gatling guns, a/s motars and 76mm guns) are ridiculously overscale. Since I've been currently working on the Kiev, i replaced them with more suitably sized versions from another 1/700 Soviet weapons sprue. I'm planning to use the 1/700 Helix set from Trumpeter as well since the ones with the kit don't look too great in my eyes. Overall it is a decent kit, a definite improvement over Aoshima's, but it could have been better than it was. If I'm feeling confident enough in my skills I'll try my hand at building an Admiral Gorshkov/Baku since it doesen't seem like Trumpeter won't put out one anytime soon.

Got my Trumpeter 1/700 Kiev today. Not many parts!Anyone know of any replacements for the main guns and other odd/bad parts?

Skywave makes a Soviet/Russian weapons/equipment set that has some turrets, missile launchers, radars, boats, and various other ancillary equipment on it. Orange Hobby makes some replacement AK-630's. Flyhawk, Lion Roar, Gold Medal and a few others make some etch radar/equipments sets. Aoshima makes a Soviet/Russian naval aircraft set that comes with Yak-38's and Ka-25's. The Forger's aren't too bad, the Ka-25's leave a lot to be desired but are really the only game in town as Trumpeter has not done any Ka-25's in the aircraft sets only Ka-27/29/31's. Aoshima is really the only game in town for either of the aircraft for earlier Kiev class flight group.

Even though Trumpeter includes markings for the first three Kiev's (which appear outwardly similar), if you want a Novorossiysk you will need to make some mods. The forward sponson in front of the angle flight deck with the pair of AK-630's is different. It is stepped in plan view in the first two of the class (Kiev and Minsk) but there is no step on the Novorossiysk. The flight deck had some minor differences as well. There were also a few differences in the radar/electronics fit. She never carried the Side Globe EW or the Pop Group antennae on her island. Pop Group was associated with the SA-N-4. She didn't have the SA-N-4 launcher in the deck aft of the island either. It was intended for the Novorossiysk to carry SA-N-9 but she was never fitted with them or the associated Cross Sword radars.

Hey everyone. I just got a boat load of 1/700 ships already built in the mail. Problem is the packaging wasn't done very well and all the ships had parts broken off. One of the ships is the Aoshima Kiev. I was wondering if anyone has a copy of the instructions they could scan or point me in the direction of the instructions online? Also does anyone have any spare Yak's or KA-25/27 or photo etch?

Hey everyone. I just got a boat load of 1/700 ships already built in the mail. Problem is the packaging wasn't done very well and all the ships had parts broken off. One of the ships is the Aoshima Kiev. I was wondering if anyone has a copy of the instructions they could scan or point me in the direction of the instructions online? Also does anyone have any spare Yak's or KA-25/27 or photo etch?

I can get you a scan of the directions if you still need them. PM me your email address.

Although is in Cyrillic alphabet the step-by-step images of the building process speak for it self.I’m assuming at some point Photo Etch parts where used (probably from Gold Medal models – Ref. 700-31).